EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SPECTACULAR CASED COLT MODEL 1855 FULL STOCK SPORTING RIFLE.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SPECTACULAR CASED COLT MODEL 1855 FULL STOCK SPORTING RIFLE. SN 2416. Cal. 44. The Finest Known Cased Sporting Rifle in Existence, with 27″ oct to rnd bbl, dovetailed German silver front sight and 3-leaf rear sight dovetailed into the top flat of the octagonal section. Sight is graduated 100-300-600 yards. Top flat of frame is marked similar to the full stock military rifles “COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.” Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” and the patent date. It has 5-shot, full fluted cyl with patent date in one of the flutes. Rifle is mounted with very nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with 7/8 length forestock that has brass forend tip, secured with two bbl bands with the bottom having a sling loop. Buttstock has a straight grip with crescent steel buttplate without trap. The long bottom tang has a corresponding sling loop and left rear web of trigger guard is stamped “44 CAL”. Bottom of bbl, at the muzzle, has a cleaning rod stud with brass tipped Gutta Percha cleaning rod in the groove in bottom of the forestock. Loading rammer has the Model 1851 style latch. Left side of the octagonal section of the bbl and each flute of the cyl are stamped with British proofs. Accompanied by its orig English oak, green felt lined, Colt casing with recessed bullseye carrying handle in the lid. Corners have mortised brass reinforcements with a mortised brass lock in the front and sliding brass latches in each end of the lid. Inside the lid is mounted with an orig Colt label “DIRECTIONS FOR USING / COLT’S PISTOLS, RIFLES, CARBINES, AND SHOTGUNS.” This label lists directions for loading & firing, cleaning handguns, cleaning long guns and “for cleaning New Model pistol” (Single Action Army). Bottom is compartmented for the rifle; an extraordinarily rare Dixon & Sons copper & brass bag-shaped flask with the maker’s name on top of the collar on one side and “COLTS / RIFLE FLASK / LARGE BORE” on the other side; a rare blued steel 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with sprue cutter marked on right side “.44R”; an exceedingly rare orig Colt leather sling with brass hook that has cartouche on one end “J.E. CONDIOT / NEW YORK”; two exceedingly rare tins of Eley’s caps with green & black labels marked with maker’s name & address, etc. “COLT’S PT REPEATING RIFLES”. Tins are sealed in gold embossed blue paper with the Eley wax seal on the bottoms. Sides of tins have brown & white labels extolling the virtues of these caps. Also accompanying is an additional exceedingly rare Colt revolving rifle combination tool with three screwdriver blades & nipple wrench; a tiny 2-section hickory & brass cleaning rod with knurled brass knob that is overall about 29″ in length and a Dixon pewter oil bottle with two empty covered compartments in the left & right rear corners. Additionally accompanied by an NRA silver medal #297 in its orig box, one of ten best arms at the 1990 NRA Convention. Cased revolving rifles are exceedingly rare with only a very small handful known. This is one of the most rare of all collectible Colt firearms. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine and Unfired. No disassembly was affected to check for matching numbers. Bbl retains about 99% strong, orig factory blue. Frame retains about 98% strong, glossy, orig factory blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn, to a medium patina. Cyl retains 96-97% strong, glossy orig factory blue with faint front sharp edge wear and the loss areas, primarily in the flutes, flaked to a medium patina. Top & bottom tangs retain about all of their glossy orig blue with a few minor flaked spots from dry storage. Buttplate retains 25-30% glossy orig blue with faint sharp edge wear and the balance flaked, not worn, to a medium patina. Hammer retains virtually all of its brilliant orig case colors. Rammer & handle retains about all of their orig case colors, brilliant on the pivot, somewhat faded on the handle. Bbl bands are also flaked to 50-60% glossy orig blue. Cleaning rod is exceptionally crisp. Wood is sound with only one or two extremely minor finish flaws and overall retains all of its brilliant orig factory finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case is exceptionally fine with only very minor storage & handling mars in the finish with a couple of grain checks on left end of the lid and another in the center of the lid. Lock escutcheon is missing with some minor damage in that area. Interior is lightly faded with a few scattered spots in the felt lining and minor damage from the rear sight. Flask is exceptionally fine retaining all of its orig factory finish. Mold is also new with some light flaking and minor surface discoloration. Cap tins are equally new as is the leather sling never having been unfolded or installed on the gun. Cleaning rod, oil bottle & combination tool are equally new. Medal, box & sign are fine. This is likely the finest, highest condition Colt full stock sporting rifle extant. Then to have it cased with complete, equally new accessories is almost beyond comprehension. 4-41840 JR260 (80,000-120,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2243	$92,000.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SPECTACULAR CASED COLT MODEL 1855 FULL STOCK SPORTING RIFLE. SN 2416. Cal. 44. The Finest Known Cased Sporting Rifle in Existence, with 27″ oct to rnd bbl, dovetailed German silver front sight and 3-leaf rear sight dovetailed into the top flat of the octagonal section. Sight is graduated 100-300-600 yards. Top flat of frame is marked similar to the full stock military rifles “COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.” Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” and the patent date. It has 5-shot, full fluted cyl with patent date in one of the flutes. Rifle is mounted with very nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with 7/8 length forestock that has brass forend tip, secured with two bbl bands with the bottom having a sling loop. Buttstock has a straight grip with crescent steel buttplate without trap. The long bottom tang has a corresponding sling loop and left rear web of trigger guard is stamped “44 CAL”. Bottom of bbl, at the muzzle, has a cleaning rod stud with brass tipped Gutta Percha cleaning rod in the groove in bottom of the forestock. Loading rammer has the Model 1851 style latch. Left side of the octagonal section of the bbl and each flute of the cyl are stamped with British proofs. Accompanied by its orig English oak, green felt lined, Colt casing with recessed bullseye carrying handle in the lid. Corners have mortised brass reinforcements with a mortised brass lock in the front and sliding brass latches in each end of the lid. Inside the lid is mounted with an orig Colt label “DIRECTIONS FOR USING / COLT’S PISTOLS, RIFLES, CARBINES, AND SHOTGUNS.” This label lists directions for loading & firing, cleaning handguns, cleaning long guns and “for cleaning New Model pistol” (Single Action Army). Bottom is compartmented for the rifle; an extraordinarily rare Dixon & Sons copper & brass bag-shaped flask with the maker’s name on top of the collar on one side and “COLTS / RIFLE FLASK / LARGE BORE” on the other side; a rare blued steel 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with sprue cutter marked on right side “.44R”; an exceedingly rare orig Colt leather sling with brass hook that has cartouche on one end “J.E. CONDIOT / NEW YORK”; two exceedingly rare tins of Eley’s caps with green & black labels marked with maker’s name & address, etc. “COLT’S PT REPEATING RIFLES”. Tins are sealed in gold embossed blue paper with the Eley wax seal on the bottoms. Sides of tins have brown & white labels extolling the virtues of these caps. Also accompanying is an additional exceedingly rare Colt revolving rifle combination tool with three screwdriver blades & nipple wrench; a tiny 2-section hickory & brass cleaning rod with knurled brass knob that is overall about 29″ in length and a Dixon pewter oil bottle with two empty covered compartments in the left & right rear corners. Additionally accompanied by an NRA silver medal #297 in its orig box, one of ten best arms at the 1990 NRA Convention. Cased revolving rifles are exceedingly rare with only a very small handful known. This is one of the most rare of all collectible Colt firearms. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine and Unfired. No disassembly was affected to check for matching numbers. Bbl retains about 99% strong, orig factory blue. Frame retains about 98% strong, glossy, orig factory blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn, to a medium patina. Cyl retains 96-97% strong, glossy orig factory blue with faint front sharp edge wear and the loss areas, primarily in the flutes, flaked to a medium patina. Top & bottom tangs retain about all of their glossy orig blue with a few minor flaked spots from dry storage. Buttplate retains 25-30% glossy orig blue with faint sharp edge wear and the balance flaked, not worn, to a medium patina. Hammer retains virtually all of its brilliant orig case colors. Rammer & handle retains about all of their orig case colors, brilliant on the pivot, somewhat faded on the handle. Bbl bands are also flaked to 50-60% glossy orig blue. Cleaning rod is exceptionally crisp. Wood is sound with only one or two extremely minor finish flaws and overall retains all of its brilliant orig factory finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case is exceptionally fine with only very minor storage & handling mars in the finish with a couple of grain checks on left end of the lid and another in the center of the lid. Lock escutcheon is missing with some minor damage in that area. Interior is lightly faded with a few scattered spots in the felt lining and minor damage from the rear sight. Flask is exceptionally fine retaining all of its orig factory finish. Mold is also new with some light flaking and minor surface discoloration. Cap tins are equally new as is the leather sling never having been unfolded or installed on the gun. Cleaning rod, oil bottle & combination tool are equally new. Medal, box & sign are fine. This is likely the finest, highest condition Colt full stock sporting rifle extant. Then to have it cased with complete, equally new accessories is almost beyond comprehension. 4-41840 JR260 (80,000-120,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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